Onaiwu Tola Ohiengbomwan

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a global public health concern, particularly among pregnant women due to the high risk of vertical transmission. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among pregnant women attending antenatal care in selected hospitals within Ede community, Osun State, Nigeria. A total of one-hundred & eighty (180) consenting pregnant women were recruited for the study. Blood samples were collected and analyzed using ELISA for HBsAg detection. Liver function was assessed in seropositive individuals using Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) levels. The overall prevalence of HBsAg was 15.6% (28/180). Subjects aged 26–33 years had the highest rate of positivity at 50% of all positive cases. Statistical analysis showed a significant association between HBV infection and age group (χ² = 14.694, p = 0.618), blood transfusion (χ² = 0.972, p = 0.615), herbal medicine use (χ² = 1.843, p = 0.398), alcohol consumption (χ² = 0.291, p = 0.589), HBV awareness (χ² = 2.710, p = 0.100), vaccination status (χ² = 3.070, p = 0.576), and pregnancy per trimester (χ² = 1.126, p = 0.569). However, there was a statistical significant positive correlation between HBV infection and elevated ALT levels (r = 0.489, p = 0.007), suggesting possible liver inflammation among infected individuals. Findings shows that the prevalence appears unusually high among the study population. This emphasizes the need for routine antenatal screening and improved public awareness. Early detection can aid in reducing vertical transmission and ensuring better maternal and neonatal outcomes.

The human ABO blood and Rhesus is an important determining factor in the distribution and co-infection of human malaria parasite infection, since, Blood-group antigens are increasingly recognized as key modulators of malaria susceptibility. Malaria is an important cause of ill-health primarily transmitted by Female Anopheles mosquito and is responsible for severe morbidity and mortality especially in Sub-Sahara Africa and globally. This study investigated the susceptibility to malaria infection when the ABO blood types and Rhesus is considered a predisposing factor. Two-three millimetres (2-3ml) of venous blood was obtained by venipuncture from asymptomatic subjects into ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic-acid (EDTA) anticoagulated blood containers, properly mixed and labelled appropriately. One-hundredb &eighty-three (183) respondents comprisingof 69 males and 114 females recruited for the study, were subjected to ABO blood typing using monoclonal Antisera A, B, AB, D and microscopic analysis for plasmodium parasites screening using thick and thin smear assay technique. All data was analyzed using SPSS 25.0 software package. The descriptive data was presented as means ± standard deviation (SD) was used for analytic assessment. Findings show that Prevalence of malaria was 50.1% among the screened population. However, there was no statistical significant association between malaria infection and gender (p = 0.359), also with age (0.484). Blood group O phenotype was the dominant ABO group (45.6%) recorded, followed by B (26.7%), A (22.2%) and AB (5.6%) in malaria parasitaemia (+), while in malaria parasitaemia (++) blood group B was the dominant ABO group (66.7%), followed by AB (33.3%), and A & B (0.0%). Subjects with Rhesus D (Rh D) positive were (90.0%) with malaria parasitaemia of (+), while Rh D negative recorded (10.0%) with a record of malaria parasitaemia of (+),while a parasitemic record of (++) was observed among individuals with Rh D positive at (100%) in contrast to individuals with Rh D negative recording (0.0%).However, there was no statistical significant association between malaria and Rh D phenotypes (p = 0.264).It was observed that ABO phenotypes respondents recorded a statistical significant association with malaria parasitaemia (p = 0.54). In conclusion prevalence of malaria among the participants was high, while blood group O phenotype respondents were the dominant group followed by B,A and AB. Rh D phenotype was not associated with malaria while ABO phenotype were associated with malaria. These findings call for thorough investigations of key haematological parameters among malaria patients to enhance accurate diagnosis and therapy.

Background/Objective: Patent Medicine Vendors (PMVs) are the first line of care for most suspected tuberculosis patients in resource-limited settings, given their proximity and familiarity with the community. This study was conducted among PMVs to evaluate their knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices (KAP) regarding tuberculosis patients, with the aim of enhancing tuberculosis care in Nigeria. Methods This study used a validated structured questionnaire, adapted from the WHO-KAP study guide, to elicit responses from PMVs. The data generated were analysed using the SPSS statistical package. Results A total of 349 PMVs participated in the study, comprising 104 (29.8%) males and 245 (70.2%) females. Most respondents were 21–30 years old (134/38.4%) and had never been trained for tuberculosis infection prevention and control (207/59.3%). A good number of the respondents had adequate knowledge (196/56.2%), good attitude (199/57%) and good preventive practices (279/79.9%). However, we obtained the following KAP scores: an overall adequate knowledge score of 56.1%, an overall good attitude score of 66.9%, and an overall good preventive practices score of 79.5%. The differences between the two study sites regarding knowledge (P = 0.012), attitude (P < 0.001), and preventive practices (P = 0.039) were statistically significant. Location, gender, age, education, work experience, tuberculosis training, and the frequency of seeing tuberculosis patients were the predictors of good KAP scores. Conclusions The existence of KAP gaps among the informal health sector, represented by PMVs, has negative implications for tuberculosis prevention and control. However, these gaps reinforced the need for a more robust, focused awareness campaign to enhance tuberculosis care.

The prevalence of HBV infection is increasing in our community particularly among pregnant women due to the high risk of vertical transmission. This study determine the prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among pregnant women attending selected antenatal care hospitals within Ede community, Osun State, Nigeria. A total of one-hundred & eighty (180) consenting pregnant women were recruited for the study. Blood samples were collected and analyzed using ELISA for HBsAg detection. Liver function was assessed in seropositive individuals using Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) levels. The overall prevalence of HBsAg was 15.6% (28/180). Subjects aged 26–33 years had the highest rate of positivity at 50% of all positive cases. Statistical analysis showed a significant association between HBV infection and age group (χ² = 14.694, p = 0.618), blood transfusion (χ² = 0.972, p = 0.615), herbal medicine use (χ² = 1.843, p = 0.398), alcohol consumption (χ² = 0.291, p = 0.589), HBV awareness (χ² = 2.710, p = 0.100), vaccination status (χ² = 3.070, p = 0.576), and pregnancy per trimester (χ² = 1.126, p = 0.569). However, there was a statistical significant positive correlation between HBV infection and elevated ALT levels (r = 0.489, p = 0.007), suggesting possible liver inflammation among infected individuals. Findings shows that the prevalence appears unusually high among the study population. This emphasizes the need for routine antenatal screening and improved public awareness. Early detection can aid in reducing vertical transmission and ensuring better maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Tuberculosis (TB) has continued to be a global public health issue, especially in developing countries, where Nigeria accounts for 4% of the global TB burden. However, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals targets for 2030, there is a need for adequate and robust awareness campaigns to ensure that individuals in the communities are aware of the total TB program package. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) towards TB of the residents of two communities affected by the TB scourge in Osun State, Nigeria. An interviewer-administered, semi-structured questionnaire adapted from the WHO-KAP study guide was employed, and the data generated were analysed using the SPSS statistical package. A total of 280 respondents participated in the study comprising 162 (57.9%) males and 118 (42.1%) females, a large percentage of the respondents (273/97.5%) know about TB and know that anybody can be infected (63.6%). However, in this study, we obtained the following KAP scores: overall good knowledge of TB: 60% (Iwo- 54.7% and Ikire-65.2%), overall good attitude towards TB: 50% (Iwo- 53.3% and Ikire- 46.7%) and overall good TB preventive practices 65.2% (Iwo- 66.6% and Ikire- 63.8%). Ikire respondents were significantly more knowledgeable than Iwo respondents (p = .002), while Iwo respondents had better TB attitudes than Ikire respondents (p = .03). Predictors of good KAP scores were accommodation type, education, age and main source of income of respondents. This study assessed the level of community TB-KAP and reinforced the need for a more robust awareness campaign for better TB health service utilisation.